Grid systems for a suspended ceiling are customarily composed of a plurality of horizontal members intersecting one another at right angles so as to form a uniform grid. Some of the members or components making up the grid system are usually suspended from vertical hangers attached to the structural ceiling while some of the peripheral components are secured directly to the vertical walls defining the peripheral extent of the system. Such system is also customarily used to conveniently support electrical fixtures and wiring, heating and air conditioning vents or virtually any other suitable components to be interposed in the suspended ceiling.
Components of the system usually carry support flanges for supporting ceiling panels or tiles in the grid to present an aesthetically pleasing noise reducing ceiling and separate the room environment from the space between the structural ceiling and suspended ceiling. In some instances the panels are sealed to the flanges to seal the space from one another.
Customarily, the process of assembling or suspending the horizontal members of a suspended ceiling involves two steps:
hanging the members from a structural ceiling; and
connecting the grid members, where they intersect to each other and to any walls.
Until my invention, the process for connecting the horizontal members to each other and to a wall, and the actual connection, have both been relatively complex, not lending to ease of assembly and disassembly. For example, a number of grid systems have been proposed involving vertical natches permitting one member to overlay another member and be carried in the notches (as shown in for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,031,042; 3,263,388; 3,001,001; 3,965,632; 3,304,684; and 4,114,327) and slots through the components for receiving connect1ng shafts. tabs or tongues extending longitudina11y from the ends of other components positioned at right angles and tabs or connectors overlying or abutting intersecting members securing them together (as shown in for examp1e U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,043,689; 2,286,976; 3,333,387; 3,292,332; 2,888,113; 4,086,480; 3,396,997; 3,305,256; 3,340,662; 3,265,879; 3,846,031; 3,185,833; 3,333,387; 3,378,976; 3,275,817 and 2,946,414). The drawbacks of these methods are that they, may require tools specifically designed for the system for assembly, do not permit simple or quick assembly and disassembly, may require the fabrication of additional connecting parts and may require comparatively detailed machining of the members to accommodate the various vertical notches, slots or tabs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,957 discloses moulding strips each carrying a longitudinal channel having lips extending from the top and bottom edges of the channel towards the other lip and a groove to receive the edges of a flat sheet (for example, a counter, table, etc.) above the longitudinally extending groove. A support is secured in the longitudinal channel by sliding it down the length of the channel until in the desired position.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved components suitable for use to form an improved joint suitable for use to assemble an improved ceiling grid system and an improved method of assembling the grid system.
Further and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following summary of the invention and detailed description of embodiments thereof.